Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Dueternity.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Dueternityxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with uniform plant habit and attractive flower bract coloration.
The new Poinsettia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 1997 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E-20-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-746-41, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Dueternity was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in March, 2001. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive flower bract coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany since March, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Dueternityxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Dueternityxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts.
2. Dark green-colored leaves.
3. Uniform and rounded plant habit.
4. Freely branching habit.
5. Early flowering habit; response time, about eight weeks.
6. Excellent post-production longevity.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection E-20-01, plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright and have darker green-colored leaves. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 95-746-41, plants of the new Poinsettia are sturdier and have more cyathia per corymb.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Fiscor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Fiscor in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were larger and more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.
3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger inflorescences with more flower bracts per inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.
4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Poinsettia had more cyathia than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Fiscor.